Child of a Different God
by dictalicense
Summary: What if Meg wasn't the first girl Herc met? Well? I did sa 'What IF'. Hercules Fic. Compete and re-edited Possibly OC. Somewhat AU. First and only fic. Alternate ending included.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: Everything is PURELY fictional. Has some semblance of mythological basis but everything is mixed up. I'm making this up as I go along. Comments and Criticisms are welcome. Flames too if you wish. And, characters are mostly based on the Disney movie, Hercules. 

Deciphered from a collection of scrolls from the ruins of a Great City that was once believed to be Troy:

_Everybody loves him now. He's famous, a hero. More popular than the great Achilles and Jason and his Argonauts. By the Gods, he even saved Mt. Olympus and Greece from the uprising of Hades and the Titans! He has become what he has always wanted to be. He has found the place where he belongs, in front of the public eye and beside the woman whom he now loves. Megara, her name, I think. She is very beautiful. He deserves her. He must really lover her greatly. He did give up his Godhood to be with her did he not? I wonder if he would have done the same for me. I don't think I'd be selfish enough to strip him of such an honor, Even if he did still love me. Does he? Does he even remember who I am? Often, I wonder what would have happened if... no, let's not dwell on that now. He's with her. Happy as he should be. And I, here, the sad and pathetic halfling creature. It was never meant to be..._

Author: Unknown.

**Child of a Different God **

by: pOtHeAd

The sky is dark and gray. Clouds pregnant with rain about to fall into the valley below. Thunder and lightning flashes across the horizon in regular intervals. The Goddess Hera is in labor. Zeus vents his excitement on the land. His heir is about to be born. After a particularly loud clash of thunder, a cry is heard. First of a woman, then a loud wail of a new born babe fills the air. Rain starts to pour down with a vengeance.

At that very same moment another wail can be heard coming from within the shambles of a collapsing shack.. A child, female, is born to a dead woman. The pain of childbirth has robbed her of her life before she is able to take a glimpse of her daughter. Her pale skin, smooth and unblemished, covered with cold sweat serves to make her seem earthreal for in her wretched condition she still retains what could only be called sensual beauty. As if in her death she has graced the Underworld with her presence, she lies there, eyes open. Deep dark pools, glassy and empty. Her face is still, like a perfect porcelain doll. On blood red lips there is a trace of a smile. A smile not of joy, but of bitter triumph.

Her child is held by another figure hidden by the darkness of the shack. It seems to feel no regret in the loss of the woman's life. It inspects the figure of the babe who has now fallen asleep in its arms, counting fingers and toes, and limbs and tracing her face, appearing to expect something of her to be out of place. Repulsed by the normality of the child, it drops her beside the corpse of its mother and vanishes, leaving the babe for dead.

Above them, the Gods rejoice at the birth of Hercules, the heir of Zeus and Hera.

Outside, the sky has cleared and the sun rises to a beautiful new morning in Greece.


	2. Chapter 1

Author's note: I've got my Greek Mythology all mixed up. If you don't like it then I'm sorry dear. My writing skills are not improving. Read, review and have fun!  
  
  
  
Child of a Different God  
  
By: pOtHeAd  
  
  
  
Chapter 1  
  
A new day in Greece.  
  
Another sun shiny day in the lands of Thebes. The morning mist begins to disperse leaving a picturesque scene of radiant tranquility. Flowers of every color seem to glisten as their dew reflect the light of the glowing orb above them. An occasional breeze passes by causing a ripple that flows through dark green fields, still damp from the storm that passed earlier. Far across the horizon the white marble walls of the city is seen, hiding the chaos that ensues within.  
  
In a meager cottage of stone and straw plump old peasant woman comes out with an apron full of cornmeal. She looks up to the clear blue sky.  
  
"Oh what a wonderful day!" she thinks to herself. After a short pause she makes her way to what seems like a makeshift henhouse, where about a dozen white chickens tatter about before recognizing her presence and flocking toward her. Among them, a brown rooster clucks to restore order as the woman begins to feed the hens by sprinkling about handfuls of the cornmeal on to the ground. Her mind ponders on the chores that she has set to do today when suddenly her trail of thought is broken by a loud cry.  
  
"WAAAAHHHHH!!! HwAAAA!!!"  
  
The animals scatter around to find shelter as though they feel the distress within the loud wails. The apron slips off the old woman's hands and the rest of the feed spills on the floor. The woman, startled by the cry, does not realize this but instead begins to look for the source of the cry. Her gaze focuses on the wood nearby and she rushes towards it. Beneath the hollow of a gnarled up olive tree a pale figure is curled up, half caked with mud, covered with some dry dead leaves and screaming.  
  
The old lady backs up in fear that it may be a monster that has come to eat her up. But her kindly heart pushes her to see what it was that drew here there. She bends over and sweeps away some of the leaves that conceals the small bundle to uncover the creature.  
  
A baby.  
  
A little baby girl with bright amethyst eyes and a head of curly blond locks. At first sight, the woman's heart goes out to the child who has now fallen silent in the presence of the old lady. She lifts her chubby little hands up and the old woman cannot resist lifting the small bundle in her hands and cuddling her.  
  
"Where is your mother, little one?" whispers the lady to the child who snuggles deeper on her breast and sleeping. Searching the area for the parent of the poor dear, the woman realizes that whoever left her under the tree was not coming back and was just simply trying to get rid of the child.  
  
She takes another glance at the bundle in her arms and her heart is filled with pity and a growing affection for it. A thought enters her mind and she smiles. She always wanted a little girl of her own. Looking up to the sky, making a small bow she lightly squeezes her load and looks at its peaceful sleeping face.  
  
" I guess you're mine now" she whispers.  
  
"A gift from the Gods."  
  
She pauses to brush a tuft of hair away from the infant's face.  
  
"And I shall name you Helen." 


	3. Chapter 2

Translated Hieroglyphics from broken pots found in Egypt:

_Once, when I was young I asked my mother where I came from. She told me I was a wild child from the mountains, having fallen from the kingdom of Zeus in the sky. If she only knew how close she was to the truth. Too bad I was not from the heavens like him. We would have been better matched if it were so. Why must I constantly dwell on this? We are NOT together. It is an impossibility. My destiny is guided by the hands of those damnable Fates. I was not of the heaven. No, I had to come from somewhere else..._

**Child of a Different God**

Chapter 2: Annoying Boy

by: pOtHeAd

The calmness of sunrise is shattered by a loud happy shout.

"Mama! Mama!" a little girl shouts as she races around the house.

"Where are you Mama?"

Helen is excited today because her mother, Hitte, has given her permission to accompany her brother, Charon, while he tended to the sheep around the fields near the forest. She wakes her brother up after repeatedly tugging on his blankets. He teases her by refusing to stand up from bed and even giving excuses that he did not feel well. Then when she is just about to cry, she hears him laugh from under the pillow and she is scooped up into his arms where he begins to tickle her hand tells her that she could not take a joke and that he would not stop tickling her unless she promised not to cry.

After breakfast, Charon prepares the flock while his mother talks to Helen.

"Take care of yourself dear. Do not wander too far from your brother and the flock. Be good and most especially, remember that you are not supposed to talk to strangers."

Ah! The most unfortunate line 'Do not talk to strangers'. Helen of course did not heed her mother's advice and wandered far from the flock into the forest. Here she is approached by a huge serpent who does not seem to want to harm her but instead slithers beside her as she walks around the woods. After a while she gets tired and decides to take a nap in a small clearing.

She is awakened by some noise and she realizes that the snake is not with her anymore. Suddenly, a little boy with a wooden sword jumps out from a nearby bush.

"Ho! I got you cornered now you silly goose!" shouts the boy waving his wooden sword around as if preparing to attack his enemy.

"Who are you calling a silly goose, stupid boy from the bush?" shouts the short tempered Helen.

"Well you of course! Who else could I be talking to?"

"Why you...!"

"What are you doing here anyway? I've never seen you here before"

"Well, I kinda wandered away from the flock.."

"There is a flock of silly geese around here?!"

"I am NOT a SILLY GOOSE!"

"Whatever"

"Anyway, as I was saying, I got bored watching my brother tending to our flock of _sheep_..."

"Your brother is a sheep?"

"NO! My brother was taking care of the sheep.."

"How can a goose be related to sheep?"

"I am NOT a GOOSE! How slow can you get?! Who are you anyway?"

"Can't tell. My mother told me never to talk to strangers."

"ARGH!"

Helen throws her little arms up in defeat and starts to walk away from the boy.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

"Away from you, of course!" mutters a very frustrated Helen.

"Can I go with you?" says the boy who starts to run after her.

"No"

"Why not?"

"Coz I don't like you."

"Why not"

"Coz you're annoying."

"I am not annoying!"

"See?"

"Hey!"

Helen walks faster. The boy walks faster to catch up with her. They go deeper into the forest without noticing it.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Congratulations to ScreamingFerret and Tailgunner21 for the release of 'Odi et Amo' Chapter 3! Oh and solitare_one, thanks for the reviews, all of them. You're the best (^_^). Mood swingy person I am, I am. Sorry for the inconvenience. I'm finally done with the speech! Troubles are over till Monday! Then of course I'll be having another hell week but hey, let's all enjoy the weekend shall we? (^_^)  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Enter Hercules.  
  
After walking around for an hour, trying to go back to the pasture where her brother was with the flock, Helen starts to feel desperate and is in the verge of tears.  
  
'I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry. Charon has GOT to be around here somewhere' she keeps on mentally repeating to herself. 'I just have to remember what path I took on the way here'  
  
Abruptly she stops to think for a moment and is suddenly falls flat on the ground.  
  
Dazed, it takes her a while before her vision refocuses.  
  
"Oh, sorry. You shouldn't have stopped the way you did. I could have tripped!" comments the boy whose presence she had almost already forgotten about. He notices her on the ground and his face wrinkles into a frown. He bends down to check on her.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Her eyes become as narrow as slits and her face turns red in anger and annoyance. Picking herself up from the ground, she brushes off the dirt in her clothes and with and amazing display of self control, says through gritted teeth.  
  
"I'm perfectly fine, thank you very much!"  
  
She begins to walk away again and notices that this time the boy does not follow. 'Ah, finally he leaves me alone' she thinks to herself.  
  
"Do you really even know where you are going?" shouts the boy from behind her.  
  
A vein pops out of the little girl's forehead.  
  
"Of course I do." She replies defiantly.  
  
"Oh, okay. I just want you to know that we have passed this same place six times already."  
  
"Oh _really_? And how do to know that?"  
  
"Well, see this tree?" boy gestures to a broken sapling "I hit it with my sword the first time we passed here and well... I've noticed that we keep on passing it again and again and umm..."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"You're lost aren't you?"  
  
Helen turns red at the accusation.  
  
"Of.. Of course not!" she stutters out. "Besides, what do _you_ know about these woods anyway?" she adds haughtily.  
  
A small smirk forms in the little boys lips. His blue eyes twinkle with amusement.  
  
"For one thing, I live near here and I've been playing around this forest my whole life(Which is not really that long - pOtHeAd). And, I know every nook and cranny of this place. Our farm is just past that way" he replies and points to the west. At least, what seems to be the west.  
  
As the boy makes his long monologue, Helen's eyes grow bigger and bigger and steam seems to be coming out of her ears.  
  
"Why you..." Helen starts to make her way to the boy with her hands readied to strangle him when..  
  
*SNAP*  
  
Both children's heads turn to the source of the interruption.  
  
"Who's there" the boy shouts to the bushes.  
  
"Come out coward!" Helen by some odd reason has suddenly forgotten her anger as it is replaced by a mixed feeling of fear and curiosity.  
  
A low hissing sound is heard emanating from everywhere. The children back up, closer to each other. From out of the bushes a huge serpent comes out and makes it's way to them. They give out loud gasps. Both of surprise, one of awe, and the other of recognition.  
  
Instinctively, the boy pushes Helen behind him.  
  
"What are you...?" she begins. "Shhh... don't be scared" he whispers to her.  
  
"Who say's I am?"  
  
"I'll take care of this" he replies, not even listening to her.  
  
"But.."  
  
"Shhh..."  
  
Helen rolls her eyes. 'I was going to say that he wasn't going to hurt us stupid!' she thinks to herself before she lets her mind focus on the scene before her. The serpent has halted its approach and raised itself to be at eye level with the boy.  
  
The boy's face contorts into a deep frown. Holding his wooden sword in one hand, he prepares himself for an attack.  
  
The serpent raises his head higher and tilts a bit. It sees the girl behind the boy, bears its fangs and starts to hiss.  
  
Taking this as a sign of aggression, the boy runs to grab its tail. It tries to bite him but the dodges and grabs it's rear end with both hands then proceeds to spins it around and around, over his head. Suddenly, he lets go and lets it fly until it becomes a vanishing point in the horizon.  
  
Helen is awestruck. The serpent must have been _thrice_ as big as the boy but he lifted it up as if it were nothing! Even Charon could not have done that. It takes her a minute to realize that her mouth was agape and she promptly closes it as she sees the boy approaching her.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asks her while returning his sword to its makeshift hilt.  
  
"I... um..." Amazed to find herself at a loss for words, she nods her head as her cheeks turn pink with embarrassment.  
  
"Thank you" she whispers while staring at her sandals.  
  
"You're welcome" he replies.  
  
They stand there in silence for a few moments.  
  
"Look" the boy says with a determined voice. Helen lifts her head up and listens.  
  
"I don't think we started off right. I'm sorry I was acting weird earlier, I'm not just used to seeing people here in the forest. I'm usually alone here you see and well my people skills aren't that great. My mom says I should start making friends more. I do try but once they see how strong I am they usually run way or worse, make fun of me. I'll understand if you won't like me but just for the heck of it, would you mind being my friend?" he smiles hopefully and offers his hand.  
  
'He sounds so sad' Helen thinks to herself. 'I don't like it when people are sad...'  
  
Cautiously, she moves her hand up to shake his. 'I hope I'm not making a mistake.'  
  
The boy positively beams at this gesture and Helen cannot help but smile herself. He gives her a few more enthusiastic shakes before letting her hand go.  
  
"Since we're friends, I think its okay to tell you my name" he declared.  
  
"I'm Hercules"  
  
"I'm Helen" she replies still smiling. 'Gee, this doesn't seem so bad..."  
  
Now that they were friends, Hercules and Helen talk for a while and she finally admits she was lost. He says it was okay because he knew the forest like he knew the back of his hand (Or something like that). On their way out they meet Charon, who has been looking for Helen. He is amused to se that she made a friend and asks Hercules to have dinner with them. Whether he went or not it does not matter because they are finally friends and this scene is finally over! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! 


	5. Last Chapter

A/N: Hokey dokey. Suddenly lost complete interest in writing this but was inspired by something that I read. Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s 'Long walk to Forever'. If you haven't read it then, you've missed out on a better part of life. Anyway, this is closely based on it. Practically a rip off the exact same text with some extremely slight differences. This is after all the (somewhat altered) events in the movie.  
  
Child of a Different God  
  
Last Chapter  
  
by pOtHeAd  
  
They grew up together. Closer than best friends could ever be. In the outskirts of the city where sheep grazed and fields and forests seemed blended into a sea of green. He was the mortal son of Zeus. And she the daughter of questionable origins, found in the woods by an old peasant woman.  
  
Now they were eighteen, had not seen each other for more than two years. There had always been a playful, comfortable warmth between them, but he never talked about love. Neither did she, but that didn't mean she did not think about it. Often.  
  
Her name was Helen. He was the great hero Hercules. One early afternoon, Helen came to visit Hercules in one of his great villas in Athens.  
  
Hercules was talking to one of his servants. Giving orders on hiring the best bakers and artists in town. She was announced as a visitor and had to wait a while before he was done and was able to look up at her. "Helen!" he said. He was surprised to meet her and enveloped her in a huge hug whilst spinning her around in circles. She laughs. After a while, they get dizzy and he settles her down.  
  
"I haven't seen you in months" he exclaimed.  
  
"About two years, actually" she replied, still smiling.  
  
"You look great" he said  
  
"And so do you." she said. "Finally become the hero you always wanted to be, I see"  
  
"Oh, it's nothing" he said, slightly embarrassed.  
  
"If you say so..." she said. "Could you come for a walk?"  
  
"A walk?" he said.  
  
"One foot in front of the other" said Helen "Through leaves, over bridges-"  
  
"I know what a walk is Helen." said Hercules.  
  
"I know." she said.  
  
He looks at her curiously.  
  
"I'm getting married, Helen." he said.  
  
"I know," she said. "Let's go for a walk."  
  
"I'd love to but I have a lot of things to do, Helen." he said. "The wedding is only a week away"  
  
"If we go for a walk," she said. "It will allow the sun to give color to your pale skin. It will make you a bronze God." She looks at the pieces of art around her. "A bronze God like him-, like him-, like him-"she said, pointing to statues of bronze men.  
  
"That is me Helen" he replied smiling.  
  
"Oh." she said  
  
Hercules' eyes sparkle with amusement as he looks at her.  
  
"Well then that will be my present to Megara," said Helen. "By taking you for a walk, I will be giving her a bronze God."  
  
"You know her name?" said Hercules.  
  
"How could I not?" she said. "Everyone is talking about her."  
  
"Really?" he said.  
  
"Yes." she said.  
  
"You'd like her." he said.  
  
"Maybe" she said.  
  
"Can you come to the wedding, Helen?" he said.  
  
"That I doubt." she said.  
  
"Going back home to Thebes so early?" he said.  
  
"Thebes?" she said. "I don't live there anymore."  
  
"Oh?" he said. "Why did you leave?"  
  
"Mother was upset about something," she said. "She didn't want me around anymore"  
  
His forehead wrinkles in concern.  
  
"What happened?" he said. Upset.  
  
"Someone came. He told me that he was my father. Mother would not admit it at first but at the end she confessed that she did not give birth to me. She said she just found me in the woods when I was young and decided to take care of me." she looked down as a tear started to form in her eye. "He said that I was his daughter, that he was glad that he finally found me." she said. "Mother was shocked, told me to leave. So now I'm staying with father."  
  
"Are you okay?" he said. Wrapping his arm around her waist and using his other hand to wipe the tear away.  
  
"I guess." she said.  
  
"Are you happy?" he said.  
  
"I don't know." she said.  
  
"Who is he?" said Hercules.  
  
"Who?" said Helen.  
  
"Your father." he said.  
  
"Hades" she said.  
  
He lets go of her and steps back.  
  
"Pardon?" he said.  
  
"Hades" she said.  
  
"That's not funny Helen," he said.  
  
"No, it's true." she said.  
  
"Are you joking?" he said.  
  
"No." she said.  
  
Hercules' eyes narrow and looks at her suspiciously "What are you doing here?" he said.  
  
"Visiting you," she said.  
  
"Why?" he said.  
  
"Because I love you." she said. "Now can we take a walk?" she said. "One foot in front of the other-through leaves, over bridges-"  
  
They were taking a walk now, were in the gardens, perfectly manicured, all green.  
  
Hercules was angry and rattled. "Helen," he said. "this is absolutely crazy."  
  
"How so?" said Helen.  
  
"What a crazy time to tell me you love me," he said. "You never talked about it before." He stopped walking.  
  
"No. No, I haven't, have I?" she said. "Let's keep walking."  
  
"No." he said. "So far, no farther. I shouldn't have come with you at all," he said.  
  
"You did," she said.  
  
"To try and understand why you are telling me this," he said. "To understand why you are acting so crazy-"  
  
"Crazy?" she said "Oh."  
  
Hercules took a deep breath, made a speech. "Let me say that I'm deeply honored by this crazy thing that you've done," he said, "I cannot believe that you really love me, but maybe you do. But-"  
  
"I do," she said.  
  
"Well, I'm deeply honored," said Hercules. "And I'm care much for you as a friend, Helen, very much- but it's too late" he said and looked down. "I don't mean you should do it now. I mean this is all so odd and unexpected. I have no idea how to respond."  
  
"Just walk some more." she said. "Have a nice time."  
  
They started walking again.  
  
"What do you expect me to do?" he said.  
  
"How would I know what could I expect you to do?" she said. "I've never done anything like this before."  
  
"Did you think that I would just run to you and take you in my arms?" he said.  
  
"You did." she said.  
  
"That's not what I meant". he said.  
  
"Well then, maybe." she said.  
  
"I'm sorry to disappoint you" he said  
  
"I wasn't disappointed" she said "I wasn't counting on it though. This is very nice, just walking"  
  
Hercules stopped again. "You have any Idea what happens next?" he said.  
  
"No" she said.  
  
"We shake hands." he said "We shake hands and part as friends" he said. "That's what happens next."  
  
Helen nodded. "all right." she said. "Remember me from time to time. Remember that I love you."  
  
A wave of sadness came upon Hercules. Along with a pang in his heart. He looked at the white marble fountain near the end of his estate. Its sparkling waters, glittering in the dark.  
  
"What does that mean?" said Helen.  
  
"Rage-"said Hercules. "You should never have-"  
  
"I had to find out" she said.  
  
"If I loved you" he said. "I would have told you earlier, would have let you know "  
  
"You would?" she said.  
  
"Yes" he said facing her. "You would have found out"  
  
"How?" she said.  
  
"You would have seen it" he said "I'm not very good at hiding what I feel"  
  
Helen looked closely at Hercules now. To his dismay, he realized that what he said was true. He couldn't hide love.  
  
Helen thought she saw love now.  
  
And she did the only thing she thought was right. She kissed him.  
  
"What was that?" he said when she finally let him go.  
  
"A kiss. Don't you know?" she said.  
  
"You should not have done that." he said.  
  
"You didn't like it?" she said.  
  
"What did you expect" he said "for me to kiss you back and never let go?"  
  
"I keep telling you" she said "I don't know what happens next."  
  
"We say good-bye," he said.  
  
She frowned slightly. "All right" she said.  
  
He made another speech. "Look. I do not regret that we kissed," he said. "That was nice. We should have kissed, we've been so close... I'll always be your friend Helen, and good luck."  
  
"You too," she said.  
  
"Thank you, Helen." he said.  
  
"Never." she said  
  
"What?" he said.  
  
"Never." she said "I may never see you again after all this."  
  
"Why?" he said.  
  
"I don't think you would want to associate again with the child of the person who wished for your death and the downfall of your father." she said.  
  
"I don't mind." he said.  
  
"I do." she said. "Hero's must live the life of a hero, happily ever after."  
  
"That only happens in fairy tales and legends." he said.  
  
"Living a fairy tale life is good," she said. "Is Megara worthy to be a part of you legend?"  
  
"Of course she is," he said. "She has been through quite a lot."  
  
"Tell me," she said. "What has she done?"  
  
"She almost died trying to save my life." He said.  
  
"And did she?" she said. "Did she save your life?"  
  
"Yes." He said.  
  
"Save your life from what?" she said.  
  
"An ogre." He said.  
  
"Why?" she said.  
  
"Why what?" he said.  
  
"Why did the ogre want to kill you?" she said.  
  
"Because your father ordered him to." He said.  
  
"Oh." She said.  
  
Hercules frowns. "Can we not talk about this?" he said  
  
"Why not?" she said.  
  
"It brings bad memories." He said  
  
"Okay." She said, she noted that they began to walk again. The farewell had been forgotten.  
  
"You really love her?" she said  
  
"Surely, I love her." He said. "I would not have given up my Godhood and marry her if I did not love her."  
  
"You gave up your Godhood for her?" she said.  
  
"I most certainly did." He said.  
  
"What's so good about her?" she said.  
  
"Really, Helen." He said. "Do you have any idea how annoying you are being? A lot of things are good about Megara! Yes," he said. "And there are some things I'd rather not talk about. But that is none of your business. I love Megara, and I don't have to argue her merits with you!"  
  
"Sorry," Helen said.  
  
"Honestly," said Hercules.  
  
Helen kissed Hercules. She kissed him again because she wanted to. And he wanted her to.  
  
They were now in the woods outside his villa.  
  
"How did we get here Helen?" said Hercules.  
  
"One foot in front of the other- through leaves, over bridges." Said Helen.  
  
"They add up- the steps" he said.  
  
They hear the roaring sound of a river.  
  
"A river," said Helen. "Like Styx"  
  
"You've seen it?" said Hercules  
  
"I crossed it to get here." She said. "I cross it again to get home."  
  
"You call Hades home?" he said  
  
"I have nothing else" she said.  
  
"I should head back" he said.  
  
"Say good-bye." She said.  
  
"Every time I do," he said. "I seem to get kissed."  
  
Helen sat down near the trunk of a large oak tree. "Sit down?" she said.  
  
"I'm not tired." He said.  
  
"I don't believe you." She said.  
  
Hercules sat down under another tree, across hers. He leans back and closes his eyes.  
  
"Dream of Megara" she said.  
  
"What?" he said.  
  
"Dream of your betrothed, your wife to be." She said.  
  
"All right, I will" he said. He closed his eyes tightly, caught glimpses of his wife to be.  
  
Helen yawned.  
  
The bees were humming in the trees, and Hercules almost fell asleep. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Helen really was quite tired for she fell asleep.  
  
Helen had curled herself up to a ball. Her cheek rested on the back of her right hand.  
  
Hercules let Helen sleep for an hour, and while she slept he adored her with all his heart. Drinking in the picture of her slumbering form, so peaceful, as tranquil as the dawn that was taking away the darkness that surrounded them.  
  
A few strands of her hair fell at her face and he reached out to tuck it behind one ear.  
  
"H'm?" she said. She opened her eyes.  
  
"It's late." He said.  
  
"Hello Hercules." She said.  
  
"Hello Helen." He said.  
  
"I love you." She said.  
  
"I know." He said.  
  
"Too late," she said,  
  
"Too late." He said.  
  
She stood, stretched groaningly. "A very nice walk." She said.  
  
"I thought so." He said.  
  
"Part company here?" she said.  
  
"Where will you go?" he said.  
  
"Back to Hades, home." She said  
  
"Good luck." He said,  
  
"You too." She said. "Come with me Hercules?"  
  
"No." He said.  
  
She looked away.  
  
He stepped back and stared at her for a moment, then quickly began to walk back.  
  
He felt every inch of the distance that was growing between them. He knew that if he stopped walking, just for the slightest moment. She would call him. If she called him, he would turn and run back to her. He would have no choice.  
  
Hercules did not stop.  
  
But Helen called. "Hercules" she cried.  
  
He turned and ran back to her. He took her in his arms, kissed her, and could not speak. 


	6. AN and Last Chapter Alternate Ending

Author's Note ( Just love making these don't I?):  
  
Yet! It's done! It's done! I hope you liked it. Here ends my short and (un)successful career as a Hercules fanfic writer. I know, I know. I totally copied off Mr. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. there didn't I? I'm sorry if I made anyone feel bad about what I did. Plagiarizing and all that. At least I mentioned that is was mostly his story right? I'm just a poor pathetic struggling writer and I have no money so you'll get nothing out of suing me.  
  
I do hope you review it. Especially the last chapter. I loved making that the best. The last one and the first one actually. I think I had fun writhing all of them really.  
  
Anyway, I hope you review. It feels weird posting stories on the net and not get any feedback. Half the time I feel like a moron for doing this because it's stupid, posting stories up that no one reads. Just write something, like maybe 'I read this and it sucked.' It doesn't matter. As long as I know some people read it. I mean, some others besides the four people who reviewed and the wonderful solitaire_one who gave a review for every chapter.  
  
I'm posting an alternate ending to my last chapter. It's for all the Meg lovers out there and those who do not like Helen. I cannot blame them for their preference of Megara or whoever else they wish to be with our dear hero. I, after all, did not make the story long enough to make character developments and explain a lot of things. I'm messed up, I know. Oh and to Carmerethiel, thanks for correcting me but when I rechecked there was a Thebes in Greece too (^_^)  
  
So here it is. For everyone's reading pleasure:  
  
Child of a Different God  
  
Alternate ending to the Last Chapter  
  
by: pOtHeAd  
  
She stood, stretched groaningly. "A very nice walk." She said.  
  
"I thought so." He said.  
  
"Part company here?" she said.  
  
"Where will you go?" he said.  
  
"Back to Hades, home." She said  
  
"Good luck." He said,  
  
"You too." She said. "Come with me Hercules?"  
  
"No." He said.  
  
She looked away.  
  
He stepped back and stared at her for a moment, then quickly began to make his way back to his villa.  
  
She watched him go. Stared as he grew smaller in the long perspective of shadows in the horizon, hoping that for just the slightest moment he would hesitate, then she would call him. If she called him, she knew that he would come to her. They had no choice.  
  
She looked on as he slowly became a tiny speck in the horizon. He did not hesitate but she wanted to call him, wanted to cry out for him to stop.  
  
She opened her mouth to call, but no sound came out.  
  
Tears began to form in her eyes and she cried out desperately realizing that no sound would ever come out from her while she saw him disappear from her view.  
  
She fell to her knees and tears flowed down her cheeks in silence. She could not speak. 


End file.
